Nov 30, Colombo: The United Kingdom has reiterated its continued support to Sri Lanka to fully implement the consensus UN resolution adopted in October 2015 to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.

The UK is committed to the full implementation of Resolution 34/1 and will continue to support the Government of Sri Lanka in its efforts to promote reconciliation and human rights, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office MP Mark Field said recently.

Replying to a written question from a MP in UK parliament on the implementation of UN Human Rights Council Resolution, the British Minister said during his visit to Colombo and Jaffna last month, he raised the issue with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana.

"During my visit in early October 2017 to Colombo and Jaffna, I raised with Foreign Minister Marapana the importance of the Sri Lankan government implementing in full its commitments under UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/1, which rolled over the commitments made under 30/1."

"These commitments include the return of all military-held private land, the operationalization of the Office of Missing Persons, and the development of new counter-terrorism legislation in line with international human rights standards," he said.

Minister Field, on his first official visit to Sri Lanka since assuming the portfolio, met with Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana on 5th October 2017 in Colombo.

Responding to a question on the Sri Lankan Government's progress on adopting the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, MP Field stated that Sri Lanka has neither signed nor acceded to the Rome Statute, and has not indicated plans to do so in the near future.

He said the UK coordinates with other EU Member States to promote the universality of the Rome Statute.

"We encourage non-state parties to accede to the Rome Statute and will offer support to the process of ratifying and implementing the Statute," he said.